Dell XPS 15
Dell, Inc.
MSRP: $1,299.99
Typical Price:
Overview
CNET Editors' Rating: 3.5 / 5
The good: The new Dell XPS 15 has an appealing minimalist design, solid construction, and powerful components.
The bad: There are only a handful of preconfigured builds available, and the more powerful options get very expensive. It's also too heavy for regular commuting.
The bottom line: You can get similar components to our Core i7 Dell XPS 15 configuration for less, but the rock-solid design makes this feel like a premium machine.
Design, Features & Performance (out of 10)
Design: 8.0
Features: 8.0
Performance: 7.0
Review
The latest revamp of Dell's Inspiron and XPS laptops continues to move in the right direction, clearly inspired by the growth of Apple's MacBooks and the push toward thinner, snazzier ultrabook-style laptops.
A larger version of the Dell XPS 14 we reviewed recently, this XPS 15 is a similarly solid, slablike laptop with a minimalistic design, but also with plenty of extra features, from a high-res display to Nvidia graphics, making it feel like a truly premium laptop. Our review sample included a quad-core Intel Core i7 CPU and discrete Nvidia GeForce 640M graphics, for $1,699. Other configurations start from $1,299, but I wouldn't want to pay that for a Core i5 laptop.
You can find something close to this particular CPU/GPU combination for less (Hewlett-Packard has a similar Pavilion dv6 for $1,200), but here you get the premium design, the build quality, and the premium support service Dell offers with XPS systems.
The XPS 15 is a high-end workhorse for gaming, video editing, or other creative tasks, but if $1,699 is a bit steep, we've seen several midsize laptops for under $1,000 recently that offer up-to-date processors, discrete graphics, and reasonably sharp looks. One alternative worth considering is Dell's updated Inspiron line, including the Inspiron 14z, which can trade up to an Intel Core i7 and midrange AMD graphics for $1,049. It's not as attractive or well-built, but it's a worthwhile alternative if you're looking to save a few hundred dollars.
| Price as reviewed / Starting price | $1,699 / $1,299 |
| Processor | 2.1GHz Intel Core i7-3612QM |
| Memory | 8GB, 1,333MHz DDR3 |
| Hard drive | 750GB 7,200rpm / 32GB SSD |
| Chipset | Intel HM77 |
| Graphics | Nvidia GeForce GT 640M / Intel HD 4000 |
| Operating system | Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit) |
| Dimensions (WD) | 15x10.4 inches |
| Height | 1.3 inches |
| Screen size (diagonal) | 15.6 inches |
| System weight / Weight with AC adapter | 5.9 pounds / 6.8 pounds |
| Category | Midsize |
The aluminum outer chassis in the XPS 15 (like the XPS 14) is combined with a magnesium alloy wrist rest and a soft-touch silicone bottom panel. The 14-inch version of this laptop felt dense and heavy. So much so that I said it was "heavier than any 14-inch laptop without an optical drive needs to be." This 15-inch model is about a pound heavier, but somehow the weight feels better distributed, and certainly expectations of what a powerful 15-inch laptop should feel like in the hand are different. That said, a 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display is significantly lighter, and I can't see carrying the XPS 15 around with you more than once in a while.
The heft does have some advantages. It's not technically a rugged laptop, but the XPS 15 feels like it might stop a bullet (don't try this at home). At the very least, it'll do some major damage if you drop it on your toe, and it feels like it would be largely impervious to everyday knocks.
The sparse interior is highlighted by a keyboard that's similar to the island-style ones found in systems from Apple, Sony, and others. It has an especially bright backlight, and the Shift, Tab, CTRL, and other important keys are a good size. But overall, the key faces could be larger, and there's a lot of dead space on the left and right of the keyboard.
The large, button-free, multitouch click pad should be a familiar sight by now. This version works well with multitouch gestures, such as two-finger scrolling, and is about as responsive as you're going to find, save for Apple's MacBooks. Both the keyboard and touch pad seem to be the same as those found on the XPS 14. On that smaller laptop, both were a better fit. Here, both could stand to be bigger.
One area where the XPS 15 beats the XPS 14 (and many other 15-inch laptops as well) is screen resolution. For a premium 15-inch laptop, the 1,920x1,080-pixel resolution is entirely appropriate, and I'd expect nothing less in something that costs $1,299 and up. Having a 1080p screen can be a bit overwhelming on a 13-inch laptop, and it's a matter of taste for 14-inch models (the XPS 14 we reviewed had a 1,600x900 display). The screen itself was bright, with edge-to-edge Corning Gorilla Glass over it, but very, very glossy, picking up a lot of glare from nearby lights.
| Dell XPS 15 | Average for category [midsize] | |
|---|---|---|
| Video | HDMI, Mini DisplayPort | VGA plus HDMI or DisplayPort |
| Audio | Stereo speakers, headphone/microphone jacks | Stereo speakers, headphone/microphone jacks |
| Data | 3 USB 3.0, SD card reader | 2 USB 3.0, 2 USB 2.0, SD card reader |
| Networking | Ethernet, 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | Ethernet, 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
| Optical drive | Blu-ray player/DVD burner | DVD burner |
The right edge of the system is dominated by a slot-loading optical drive, along with headphone and mic jacks and an SD card slot. The left side has all the USB and video-out ports, including both HDMI and DisplayPort outputs. All three USB ports are of the 3.0 variety, and one of them supports the charging of USB-connected devices while the laptop is off or asleep.
The least expensive XPS 15 configuration starts at $1,299, and includes an Intel Core i5-3210M CPU, an Nvidia GeForce 630M GPU, and a 500GB hard drive/32GB solid-state drive (SSD). This $1,699 configuration trades up to a Core i7-3612QM and a GeForce 640M GPU, plus a 750GB HDD/32GB SSD. It also includes a Blu-ray drive, which is a step up from the basic DVD burner in the base model.
In our benchmark performance tests, the Dell XPS 15 matched up well against other midsize quad-core Core i7 laptops with Intel's current-gen Ivy Bridge chips. This is the top CPU choice for this particular system. The 15-inch Maingear EX-L 15 can use the top-of-the-line Core i7-3820QM for faster scores, but it also costs around $500 more. A closer comparison, the Lenovo IdeaPad Y480, was also a bit faster (and around $500 less).
At this level, however, the differences in benchmark performance are largely academic. Any of these laptops would be more than fast enough for any task you'd throw at them, from HD video rendering to Photoshop to running high-end games.
The included Nvidia GeForce GT 640M graphics card in this system isn't the top of Nvidia's laptop line, but it's a solid midrange part (whether you should expect more than "midrange" in a $1,699 laptop is another story, however). In our very challenging Metro 2033 test at full 1,920x1,080-pixel resolution, the XPS 15 ran at 20.3 frames per second, which is considered an excellent score on that test. The more forgiving Street Fighter IV test at the same resolution ran at 73.1fps.
Anecdotally, I ran Modern Warfare 3 at 1080p resolution with nearly all the graphics settings on high, and got a very smooth, playable experience. This isn't a specialized gamer machine like you'd get from Origin, Maingear, or even Dell's Alienware brand, but it's great for mid-to-high-end gaming.
| Juice box | |
| Dell XPS 15 | Avg watts/hour |
| Off (60%) | 0.33 |
| Sleep (10%) | 0.73 |
| Idle (25%) | 7.77 |
| Load (05%) | 43.38 |
| Raw kWh number | 38.39 |
| Annual power consumption cost | $4.36 |
Among high-end laptops with quad-core Core i7 CPUs and discrete graphics, the Dell XPS 15 cleans up in battery life, running for 4 hours and 41 minutes in our video playback battery drain test. That previously mentioned high-powered Maingear 15-inch ran for 2 hours less. Of course, you have to exclude the Retina MacBook Pro for this comparison to work -- Apple's quad-core Core i7 15-inch laptop ran for more than 6 hours.
Dell offers a different level of warranty support with its XPS laptops than you'll find in less expensive Inspiron models. This Premium Protection Package, as Dell calls it, includes in-home service, accidental damage protection, and LoJack service, all for one year. A separate phone support line is set aside for XPS systems. Upgrading this package to three years of coverage costs $299.
Dell's high-end XPS line has gone through many different designs over the years, but the current look is the best to date, and fits well with the overall theme of a high-end laptop that mixes productivity with premium materials and construction. Still, this Core i7 configuration is very expensive at $1,699, and if you're more interested in the internals than the chassis, there are less expensive ways to get similar performance.
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
(Longer bars indicate better performance)
(Longer bars indicate better performance)
Find out more about how we test laptops.
System configurations:
Dell XPS 15
Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit) w/ SP1; 2.1GHz Intel Core i7-3612QM; 8GB DDR3 SDRAM 1,333MHz; 1GB Nvidia GeForce GT 640M LE / 64MB (Dedicated) Intel HD 4000; 750GB Toshiba 5,400rpm
Acer Aspire V3-571G-9435
Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit) w/ SP1; 2.3GHz Intel Core i7-3610QM; 6GB DDR3 SDRAM 1,333MHz; 2GB Nvidia GeForce GT 640M / 128MB (Dedicated) Intel HD 4000; 500GB Toshiba 5,400rpm
Maingear EX-L 15
Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit) w/ SP1; 2.7GHz Intel Core i7-3820QM; 8GB DDR3 SDRAM 1,333MHz; 2GB Nvidia GeForce GTX 675M + 64MB (Dedicated) Intel HD 4000; 750GB Seagate 7,200rpm
Lenovo IdeaPad Y480
Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit) w/ SP1; 2.3GHz Intel Core i7-3610QM; 8GB DDR3 SDRAM 1,333MHz; 1GB Nvidia GeForce GT 640M LE / 64MB (Dedicated) Intel HD 4000; 750GB Toshiba 5,400rpm
Sony Vaio S1511AGXB
Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit) w/ SP1; 2.1GHz Intel Core i7-3612QM; 8GB DDR3 SDRAM 1,333MHz; 1GB Nvidia GeForce GT 640M / 64MB (Dedicated) Intel HD 4000; 750GB Seagate 7,200rpm
Basic Specs
| Product Description | 3rd Gen Core i5 3210M - 15.6 in |
| Dimensions (WxDxH) | 14.6 in x 9.8 in x 0.91 in |
| Weight | 5.79 lbs |
| Processor | Intel 3rd Gen Core i5 3210M |
| RAM | 6 GB DDR3 SDRAM - 1600 MHz |
| Hard Drive | 500 GB - 7200 rpm |
| Hard Drive (2nd) | 32 GB |
| Optical Storage | CD/DVD Burner |
| Display | 15.6 in |
| Graphics Controller | nVidia GeForce GT 630M with 1GB GDDR5 VRAM |
| OS Provided | Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium |
User Reviews
Average User Rating: 3.5 / 5
User Rating Breakdown
5 Star: 3
4 Star: 0
3 Star: 0
2 Star: 2
1 Star: 6
This is the best all-around laptop out there right now.
Rating: 4.5 / 5
on August 8, 2012
4 out of 5 users found this review helpful
Pros: -High quality construction
-Incredibly sleek design (Apple doesn't own the rights on "sleek")
-Blu ray
-Great Dell support
-Very reasonable price (especially compared to the similar-sized Macbook Pro, which offers less overall functionality)
Cons: The keys could have been made bigger, and I don't have fat fingers by any means. Along with that, there's that dead space on the sides... which one would think could have been utilized to make a bigger keyboard.
Summary: I've seen the researched Macbooks, Lenovos, HPs, Alienwares, and right on down the line. Dell's new XPS 15 delivers quality in spades on all fronts, whereas most other offerings are far more hit-and-miss. Top notch materials were used in construction, and you get bevvy of features... and more versatility... than you would with any Macbook (e.g. blu ray playback if you want it, it's good for art intensive programs such as Maya, light enough for students on the go, can upgrade to ssd drive and 16gb ram, solid graphics card for next-gen gaming, etc.)
Faulty, defective Wifi and USB 3.0.
Rating: 0.5 / 5
on October 27, 2012
2 out of 2 users found this review helpful
Pros: None. This is without a doubt the worst computer you can purchase. I have no idea why people are giving this positive reviews.
Cons: 1. Wifi is defective
2. the defective Wifi CAN NOT BE FIXED -
3. USB 3.0 conflicts with sound production
4. Dell customer support - they continue to sell this even though they know it is defective
Summary: Purchased this computer as a high-end, laptop for use in music recording. Without a doubt, the biggest mistake i ever made. I wish I looked into this more. Please Note:
1) the Wifi is FAULTY in this machine. Dell knows this and has known it for ages, yet continue to sell the computer. the Wifi doesn't work, regardless if they say they "Update" the drivers. it is NOT a driver issue. I spent over 15 hours on with tech support, some at Dell even admit this. The offered me to Replaed the Wifi Modem, i did. STILL DOES NOT WORK. It cuts in and out, poor signal, etc. Dell basically gave me the run around, telling me to update drivers/replace/etc and then, the admitted (the tech support) that there is a problem, yet REFUSE to refund/exchange the computer.
2. The hardware/USB 3.0 and wifi are conflicting and cause major sound production issues. You can't use this for sound production and even when listening to simple things like Itunes, you hear clicks, clips, etc. Awful...There is no fix for this.
PLEASE DO NOT BUY. Dell knows this is a problem, yet continue to sell this and tell people it can be fixed. Do a search online, you'
ll see that everyone is having this problem and there is no fix.
WiFi is defective along with other issues. Do NOT buy.
Rating: 0.5 / 5
on February 6, 2013
1 out of 1 users found this review helpful
Pros: Looks good.
Fast.
Cons: Defective WiFi that's on all the XPS laptops.
Horrible viewing angles for screen.
Gridline pattern on screen that's supposed to separate pixels.
Fan is incredibly loud.
Laptop gets hotter than most others of the same quality.
Summary: I am an engineering student who needed a laptop that was powerful and had a reasonable price. I recently purchased this laptop and found out very soon that the Wi-Fi did not work well on this laptop and was horribly defective.
As I did my research, I can see this is a problem for a lot of people. It's a problem for FAR too many people. It's not just an issue with the XPS 15, it's an issue with the entire XPS line on laptops.
When I spend $1,700 on a supposedly high end laptop to do my work and study, I expect to get what I paid for, and I'm sure others feel the same.
As an engineering student, I can say that the Dell engineers are failing to do what they were hired to do. This Wi-Fi problem has been an issue for MONTHS, yet they still ship this product and have no warning to potential buyers when Dell is aware, and have directly acknowledged that this is an issue. You must understand that this company has attempted to address this issue with external Wi-Fi receivers, BIOS updates, driver updates, etc., and the company still has yet to fix many of the units they've shipped. Dell apparently isn't even bothering to look at the engineering of the Wi-Fi receiver, because keep in mind that this is the only computer in the market that seems to have this "mystery" Wi-Fi issue.
I'll say the pros of this laptop are design, speed, and pretty good specs for the price. However the faulty Wi-Fi negates all of this.
I also want to not that the screen has very bad viewing angles, which is disappointing considering may IPS monitors are widely used on other computers with perfect viewing angles, yet Dell still uses TP monitors. Not only are the viewing angles poor, there's a faint grid pattern on the screen that is supposed to divide the pixels.
I would have been better off with a desktop at this price. The fan noise is an issue as well and can hardly use it in class without distraction.
I'm highly disappointed and discourage anyone from buying this laptop, or any XPS laptop. More so at the fact that Dell has known the Wi-Fi was faulty for months yet has done nothing about it and still ships the product. None of Dell's solutions work; I have been through the pain of tech support. Their "solutions" have not worked for many other people.
You will, in all honesty, be better off with an Acer, Asus, or Lenovo computer. Dell has ruined their company name with this product. Frankly this needs to go to court and Dell needs a lawsuit against them for even shipping this product without a warning of an acknowledged issue, and I'll be happy to take this to court.
Laptop doesn't work as advertised. A major wifi flaw.
Rating: 0.5 / 5
on February 3, 2013
1 out of 1 users found this review helpful
Pros: Looks good.
Fast processing.
Decent keyboard.
Cons: Wifi is unusable, defeating the purpose of a laptop.
Loud fan noise.
Gets fairly hot.
Summary: I am an engineering student who needed a laptop that was powerful and somewhat affordable. I recently purchased this laptop from Best Buy and found out very soon that the wifi did not work well on this laptop. As I did my research, I can see this is a problem for a lot of people. It's a problem for FAR too many people.
When I spend $1,700 of my hard earned money to do my work and study, I expect to get what I payed for. As an engineering student, I can say that the Dell engineers are failing to do what they were hired to do. This wifi problem has been an issue for MONTHS, yet they still ship this product and have no warning to potential buyers when they know this is an issue. You must understand that this company has attempted to address this issue with external wifi receivers, BIOS updates, driver updates, etc and it still has yet to fix many of the units they've shipped. Dell apparently isn't even bothering to look at the engineering of the wifi receiver, because keep in mind that this is the only product in modern technology that seems to have this "mystery" wifi issue.
I'll say the pros of this laptop is design, speed, a great screen, and pretty good specs. However the faulty wifi negates all of this. I would have been better off with a desktop. The fan noise is an issue as well and can hardly use it in class without distraction.
I'm highly disappointed. More so at the fact that Dell has known the wifi was faulty for months yet has done nothing about it and still ships the product. The drivers do not work; I have been through the pain of tech support. Thier "solutuons" clearly don't work. You will in all honesty be better off with an Acer, Asus, or Lenovo conputer. Dell has ruined their conpany name with this product. Frankly this needs to go to court and Dell needs a lawsuit against them for even shipping this product without a warning of an acknowledged issue, and I'll be happy to take this to court.
Updated on Feb 3, 2013
How did this device pass Quality Control test?
Rating: 1.5 / 5
on October 27, 2012
1 out of 1 users found this review helpful
Pros: Has a nice processor, sleek finish. Thin laptop
Cons: 1. Wifi connection issues - It may not work with your roter due to the poor centrino wireless
2. Screen is hideous! - Google search DELL XPS gridlines and click the first link
Summary: Do not buy this laptop, it looks good on the outside but doesn't perform well in all areas. Also the screen is not acceptable
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